Justin A. DeSimone

Research on Careless Responding: Publications and References

Will Exploring the Darkness Prove Enlightening? Five Questions About the "Maladaptive Big Five"

Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Perspectives on Science and Practice

This article evaluates proposals to expand personality taxonomies with the “Maladaptive Big Five” traits, drawing connections and distinctions with the traditional Big Five. It raises key conceptual and practical questions about the value, redundancy, and applicability of maladaptive traits in organizational research. The piece emphasizes caution while encouraging thoughtful integration of clinical perspectives into personality assessment.

Ambition

The SAGE Encyclopedia of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 2nd edition

This encyclopedia entry defines ambition as a motivational force that drives individuals to pursue achievements, statuses, and life goals. It discusses the characteristics of ambitious individuals, the varied forms ambition can take, and its relationships with constructs such as conscientiousness, extraversion, and achievement motivation. The entry highlights both the positive and potentially negative outcomes of ambition for individuals and organizations.

Just Because it’s Dark Doesn’t Mean that We Can’t Go There

Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Perspectives on Science and Practice

This commentary critiques overly cautious approaches to using “dark” or subclinical personality measures in organizational selection and practice. The article argues that these traits, while often stigmatized, can provide unique and valuable predictive insights beyond traditional Big Five measures. It highlights the importance of recognizing both the risks and the potential benefits of incorporating dark traits into research and applied contexts.

Use of Conditional Reasoning to Measure the Power Motive

Modern Research Methods for the Study of Behavior in Organizations

This chapter introduces a conditional reasoning test designed to measure the implicit power motive, defined as the desire to exert influence and control over others. It describes the psychological foundations of conditional reasoning, the role of justification mechanisms, and how implicit motives shape leadership behaviors. The work expands the scope of conditional reasoning tests beyond aggression and achievement to include motives relevant to leadership and organizational effectiveness.

Identifying, Defining, and Measuring Justification Mechanisms: The Implicit Biases Underlying Individual Differences

Journal of Management

This article advances the theory of conditional reasoning by focusing on justification mechanisms—the implicit cognitive biases people use to rationalize their behaviors. It explains how these mechanisms can be identified, measured, and applied to develop stronger conditional reasoning tests. The work re-centers attention on the theoretical underpinnings of implicit personality assessment, offering guidance for building conceptually sound measurement tools.

References

  1. DeSimone, J. A. (2017). Ambition. In S. G. Rogelberg (Ed.), The SAGE encyclopedia of industrial and organizational psychology (2nd ed., pp. 45-46). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

  2. DeSimone, J. A. (2014). Will exploring the darkness prove enlightening? Five questions about the “Maladaptive Big Five.” Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Perspectives on Science and Practice, 7, 126-130.

  3. Harms, P. D., Wood, D., & DeSimone, J. A. (2019). Just because it’s dark doesn’t mean that we can’t go there. Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Perspectives on Science and Practice, 12, 206-210.

  4. James, L. R., LeBreton, J. M., Mitchell, T. R., Smith, D. R., DeSimone, J. A., Cookson, R., & Lee, H. J. (2013). Use of conditional reasoning to measure the power motive. In R. Landis & J. M. Cortina (Eds.), Modern research methods for the study of behavior in organizations (pp. 233-263). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

  5. Schoen, J. L., DeSimone, J. A., Meyer, R. D., Schnure, K. A., & LeBreton, J. M. (2021). Identifying, defining, and measuring justification mechanisms: The implicit biases underlying individual differences. Journal of Management, 47, 716-744.